1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel lift and, more particularly, to an improved apparatus for lifting vehicles by mechanisms of a J-shaped configuration, the mechanisms being repositionable into a plurality of configurations.
2. Description Of The Background Art
It is common to utilize a roll-back, flat-bed truck to quickly load and transport a car which has been disabled, in an accident, illegally parked, or which must be relocated from one sales area to another. In such situations, the transporting truck will be provided with a flat-bed. Flat-beds are normally movable with respect to the bed between a first or rest position on the truck frame and a second or loading position rolled-back and at an angle with respect to the frame so that the car to be transported may be moved thereon. Such beds are pivotable with respect to the truck between the two positions. In some instances the ramps are even capable of swiveling with respect to the truck in order to load cars oriented at awkward angles with respect to the location where the truck may position itself.
One of the more significant shortcomings of known devices is the inability to effect a swiveling motion of the bed when the bed is in the second or loading position, rolled back and tilted with respect to the truck. Such inability of prior art trucks renders them virtually incapable of conveniently loading a car parallel parked with its wheels locked in a turned position. If loading such a car is attempted, there is an undesired scraping of the tires on the ground during movement. In addition, prior tow trucks are not equipped with wheel lifts or extended utility that swivel.
A wide variety of approaches have been attempted in the prior art to overcome such problems. By way of example, note U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,590 to Edwards wherein a flat-bed may be variously repositioned with respect to a vehicle upon which it is positioned. Tilting is allowed in the truck loading embodiment, but without swiveling. In the rail car loading embodiment, swiveling is allowed only in association with an elevator-type arrangement.
In another patent of interest, U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,746 to Delachapelle a bed is pivotable with respect to a truck frame. The bed is also swivelable. But, as shown in FIG. 5, the swivel effecting mechanisms 109 are located at the level of the tires at the center of the frame. As a result, swiveling can only occur when the bed is on the frame which minimizes the utility of the apparatus. Further, no mechanisms are provided to tilt the bed independent of its orientation.
In another body or prior art, there are various devices for effecting the pivoting motion of a bed with respect to a truck frame but without a disclosure of the swiveling in combination with the pivoting in a compound motion. Note U.S. Pat. No. 2,179,611 to Ratcliffe; U.S. Pat. No. 2,621,814 to Lisota; U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,658 to Bazzell; U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,851 to Sedelmayer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,420 to Newhard; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,592 to Winter.
These various patents all disclose mechanisms which attempt to solve the problem addressed by the instant invention. All such prior art approaches, however, have failed to offer the benefits attendant with the present invention. The most superior roll-back, flat-bed truck is that disclosed in my prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,362, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
As illustrated by the large body of background art and commercial devices, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve roll-back, flat-bed vehicles. No prior effort, however, suggests the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed herein. Prior roll-back, flat-bed vehicles do not provide the benefits attendant with the present invention. The present invention achieves its purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, through the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, and through the use of only readily available materials and conventional components.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a wheel lift assembly attachable to a hydraulic bar extending rearwardly from a tow truck comprising central coupling brackets removably attachable to the hydraulic bar of a tow truck; a central support mounted to the rearward end of the coupling brackets; a plurality of intermediate extender bars, each extender bar having a laterally interior end adjustably attached to the central support and also having a laterally exterior end; a pair of corner brackets, each having a lateral component with an interior end adjustably coupled to the exterior end of an adjacent extender bar and having a rearwardly extending component secured at a right angle with respect to the laterally extending component; a pair of J-shaped brackets each having an elongated section with an end mountable in the rearward component of the corner T-bracket and having a transverse section and a forwardly extending end section; and a pair of tire pads located at the internal extent of each J-shaped bracket and corner bracket in facing relationship for receiving the wheel of the vehicle to be transported.
It is a further object of the present invention to move a bed of roll-back, flat-bed vehicle in a compound sliding/tilting/swiveling motion to extend their utility.
It is a further object of the present invention to configure a hinge with one end secured in a first location and with the other end tiltable and with a swivel element for effecting a compound tilting/swiveling motion between elements coupled by the hinge.
It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the width of beds of roll-back, flat-bed trucks and to form such beds with a curved leading edge for elevated exhaust pipes and with lamps thereadjacent.
It is a further object of the present invention to strengthen the swivel mechanisms for roll-back, flat-bed trucks.
It is a further object of the present invention to load and transport cars more conveniently with a roll-back, flat-bed truck.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to lift vehicles by a wheel lift of a J-shaped configuration, the wheel lift being repositionable into a plurality of configurations.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.